1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal. In particular, the present invention relates to a multimedia playback control apparatus and method for a mobile terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent advances in wireless communications have expanded possible applications from simple voice services in early cellular networks to new integrated data applications. Further, early text-based data communication applications have evolved into multimedia-based data communication applications.
A mobile terminal implemented with a multimedia playback function accesses a contents server for downloading multimedia contents provided by the contents server. Typically, the contents server allows the mobile terminal to access and download multimedia contents at anytime and at any location.
Video-on Demand (VOD) is a well-known system allowing users to select and watch video content over a network. A VOD system can provide users with motion picture, live broadcasting, and real-time messaging services. These VOD services can be classified as a “stream service” allowing viewing while the video is being downloaded, and as a “downloaded service” in which the content is downloaded in its entirety by the mobile terminal before viewing starts.
The downloaded VOD service has an advantage in that the downloaded contents can be repeatedly replayed.
The stream VOD service receives multimedia content in a unit of packet data (for example, 0.5 Mb), and processes the multimedia content when enough downloaded packets are received to be played as a part of the multimedia content.
Typically, a multimedia playback-enabled mobile terminal is provided with fast forward (FF) and rewind (REW) functions for playback positioning.
When using the FF or REW function, the mobile terminal displays a function position and a function end position in time.
That is, if a signal is input (for example, by continuously pressing a function key) for starting the FF/REW function while replaying a multimedia file, the mobile terminal activates a timer and displays an operation status with a progress bar. If a signal is input (for example, by releasing the function key) for ending the FF/REW function while the FF/REW function operates, the mobile terminal refers to a value of the timer and displays a current playback position of the multimedia content in time.
However, the conventional multimedia playback-enabled mobile terminal does not display progressing frames of the multimedia contents during the operation of the FF/REW function, whereby it is impossible for a user to check progressing frames corresponding to elapsed time, resulting in an inconvenience associated with playback positioning and wasted time searching for a correct playback position.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method for providing effective and efficient playback and playback positioning.